Spring-draft and bumper for railroad-cars



P. ALVERSON.-

Car Bumper.

Patented Sept. 8, 1838.

FL F] A/f/ v 0 To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETERALVERSONYOE NEW HAvENQooNNEo'rIoUr,

SPRING-DRAFT ANDBUMPER FOR RAILROAD- CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 908, dated September 8, 1838.

Be it known that I, PETER ALvERsoN, of New Haven, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the Mode or Method of Attaching Railroad Cars to EachOther andto the Moving Power by Means of Machinery, hereinafterdescribed.

The object of my invention is, to prevent the jerk usually experiencedon the first movement of connected cars; and the jar occasioned by theconcussion when suddenly stopped. This has been attempted in va- I'1011Sways.

My, improvement consists in interposing elastic chains or spring draftsand bumpers, both made with strong spiral springs, as hereinafterdescribed; thereby preventing or greatly lessening the effect both ofthe jerk and of the concussion.

To enable, others skilled in the art to make and use my improvement, Idescribe the same as follows:

First-The elastic chain or spring'draft I make thus. On the top of thefront crossbar or draft-bar of the carriage bed of the car, I attachfirmly a strong box of cast iron, about 12 inches long, 6 wide and 3deep, as seen in the accompanying drawings Figure 1. A, represents thefront cross or draw bar. B, the box attached. This box is connected withthe cross bar of the bed next in the rear, as seen at C, by two rods orbars of iron about 14; inches in diameter and about 3 feet long as seenat D, D, Figs. 1 and 3, one end of each rod being screwed into the boxB, with a firm thread, and the other end passing through the rear crossbar where it is secured by a head or nut.

These rods lie horizontally about 10 inches apart. Between these outsiderods, I place two other rods or bars E, E, of the same dimensions withthe others, which extend through the box in front and through a firmmovable front plate F, in which they are made fast; and at the other endthese rods pass through a follower G,- and are made fast in that. Thisfollower G, is a firm bar of iron about 12 inches long, 2 inches broadand g of an inch thick, having holes near each end, to embrace andfreely slide upon the two outside rods. Between this follower Gr,and'the box B, on the front bar, all the rods are armed with strongspiral springs, made of wire No. 3 or 4, for common use, wound to playeasily on the rods as seen Fig. 1 H, H, H, H. These springs are a littlecompressed when put in place and if should admit of a furthercompression of about one third of their length as seen Fig.

3, H, H, H, H. Thetwo middle rods are placed about 3 inches apart, togive room for the lever of the brake to pass up between them At thecenter of the movablefront plate F, I attach a firm hook to receive theconnecting chain of the cars as seen at X, in Fig. 3.

The machinery elastic chain or spring draft and is to be attached to thefront of each car in the manthus described I call V ner sub stantiallyas specified, and another A similar in all respects is also attached tothe rear of all the cars in a train thereby doubling, the effect on eachcar. draft may be made with one or more rods and springs, but forpassenger cars I prefer 4 as above described. These in either form areusually covered by a case of thin boards to protect them from theweather, as seen in Fig. 2, and Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, represent the carsconnected.

Sec0ndZyThe bumpers.These are elastic cushions attached in-the usualmanner to the front and rear draw-bars of the carriage bed of each car;one on each side of the connecting chain, so that the cushions on theconnected cars, will meet face to face in concussion. These cushions orbumpers so called I make about 9 inches square on the top and 6 inchesthick; I make them elastic by spiral springs made of wire of the samesize and wound in the same manner as those used for the draft, and areso wound as to expand to the length of about 10 inches and may becompressed till brought home one half the length. I usually place fiveof these springs in each cushion, viz. one at each. corner and one inthe center. They are held in place by entering holes made for thatpurpose in the opposingifaces of firm The spring blocks of wood about2-} inches thick, 9 inches long and 6 broad. Into these blocks place bystrips 01' bands of firm webbing nailed to the blocks. I then cover thewhole with a leathern case, interposing a handful of curled hair betweenthe front plate and the leatherfor its protection. The whole is thennailed and made fast to the draw bar of the carriage as seen at L, L,Fig. 1, and Fig. 2. Springs thus set are equally compressible Within thesupporting blocks as without and being thus supported and held in place,form a more durable elasticity, a better protection andv less liable toget out of place than'any form of bumper heretofore used.

Operat'i0n,The operation of this machinery is as follows: When the trainof cars are all connected, the tendency of the machinery is to bring thecars nearly to close contact when at rest; and when the power of thelocomotive is applied, it operates at first upon the elastic chains orspring draft, and they yielding gradually as seen in Fig. 3, prevent ajerk. In like manner when the forward cars are checked or stop, theelasticity of the bumpers soften the blow and shock of concussion betterthan by any mode heretofore used. a 1

I do not claim as my invention spiral springs as such merely. But'I doclaim as my invention and improvenient The combination of spiral springswith the other machinery as specified, thereby forming the spring draftand bumpers as above described which I claim as my invention, and alsothe application of them or either of them to railroad cars, for thepurposes and in the mannersubstantially as above specified, andtherefore I solicit Letters Patent according to law.

New Haven, June 18th,,1838.

PETER ALVERSON.

Witnesses: V j

SIMEON BALDWIN, ROGER BALDWIN.

